Dec. 9: Mayor on Houston in international spotlight

Houston Mayor Annise Parker is a guest on this week's Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall to weigh in on the Justice Department's investigation into the Houston Police Department. Mayor Parker says it is a welcome investigation because it will show how much HPD is doing right rather than wrong. Also topics for conversation, Houston's new found international recognition as a great city and why there's room to be even better.

The mayor uses a term everyone can understand to describe whoever left a pig at a mosque near Cypress. That possible hate crime is also the subject of our second segment.

Islamic and interfaith leaders join Khambrel to talk about the pig left at the Islamic Outreach Center near Cypress. Normally seen as a sign of hate, the leaders on Newsmakers say whether meant as a hate crime or not, it is a sign that someone does not understand their Islamic faith.

Mustafaa Carroll is the executive director of Council on American-Islamic Relations, Texas-Houston Chapter (CAIR). He says Houston sees much less anti-Islamic vitriol than other parts of the country, but incidents in Houston have caused concern. Imam Fahad Tasleem, the resident Imam of the Outreach Center of Cypress says this incident gives them a chance to invite the community in to learn more about who they are. Deacon Sam Dunning of the Archdiocese of Galveston/Houston rounds out the panel talking about the challenge and possible solutions to this unfortunate incident.

Gang membership grows by almost 30 percent in Houston! That startling number was provided by the Harris County Department of Education.

Former Houston Police Chief and current City Council Member, C.O. Bradford, says the after-school programs provided and sponsored by Harris County can help cut those numbers down and enhance the quality of the young people in our schools. Two such programs are ENRICH and CASE, the Cooperative for After School Enrichment. Council Member Bradford and Dr. Lisa Caruthers from the CASE and Enrichment programs make their case for support and give ways you can do just that

Watch Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall Sunday at 10 a.m., right after Meet the Press with David Gregory.